Food sovereignty refers to the people’s right to put in place policies that enable them to produce food in an appropriate way that is unique to their circumstances. It entails the right to access food by establishing social, economic, cultural, and political dimensions that are appropriate for a particular community. Food sovereignty implies that all people have access to nutritious and safe food that is culturally appropriate. The aim of food sovereignty is to assist communities to exploit the opportunities in the environment they stay in order to produce food.
Food Sovereignty, Food Justice and Food Security
Every day, over one billion people across the world go hungry. In addition, small-scale farmers do not earn fair returns from the sale of the food they raise. This is a depiction of a broken down global food system. Large corporations currently dictate the agricultural system. The result is that the agricultural system does not put emphasis on nutritious and delicious foods.
The corporations have overtaken the people’s right to make decisions on their farms. Thus, food sovereignty movement seeks to address the indignities that are brought about by the present food system. The movement brings together small scale farmers and is involved in advocating and formulation of policies that suit food processes at the local level in order to enhance freedom of the farmers in the production.
The concept promotes food security because it gives the communities the power to control the process of food production, trade, and consumption. In the current global food system, few corporations control the processes of food production, the distribution processes, and the marketing. The implication is that power is concentrated in the multinationals; hence, they monopolize the food production and deny access to food because they dictate the food price and supply channels. The farmers are then forced to poverty and hunger because they have no control over food production.
On the other hand, food justice is concerned with ensuring that there is fair sharing of available food. The aim is to transform the current food system and to clear disparities and inequalities that are associated with food availability across the globe. Food justice advocates for design of systems that support food systems on the concept of human rights. Therefore, food sovereignty relates to food justice because it is involved in advocacy for policies that enhance the local food production processes.
Differences between Food Sovereignty and the Right to Food
Food security refers to the ability of the communities to have access to food. Food security denotes the quantity and quality of food that is necessary for people. It does not put emphasis on the origin of the food. In addition, food security does not make it necessary for the community members to be involved in the provision of the food. Thus, the food can be from outside the community. This is unlike food sovereignty that is very specific on the guidelines for food production and availability.
Food sovereignty concept is concerned with putting food ownership to the communities. It is a long-term concept in which the communities are empowered to produce their food. The production of the food takes into consideration the political, social, cultural, environmental, and geographical factors. The factors are used to design processes necessary to address food problems that may be affecting a community.
However, food security does not consider the factors; food is only required in qualities and quantities. For instance, the food can be relief food from other areas. Despite the differences, the concept of food security and sustainability are used interchangeably.
Food Sovereignty U.S
In the United States, small-scale farmers do not get fair prices for their farm produce. The reason is due to the dominance by the large corporations that dictate the processes of farm produce. In the U.S, food sovereignty will entail a movement to dismantle the dominance by the multinationals. It will involve a food activism movement based on advocacy for open markets and a legal framework that will give the communities the power to engage in food decisions that affect their personal well-being.
Getting Politically Involved in Food Issues
The concept of food sovereignty presents practical challenges that have to be put in place in order to realize the right to food justice. The current political economy of agriculture has created a system that centralizes control of food-related matters to few entities. Food sovereignty is concerned with countering the hegemony of the corporations that control food system.
Thus, getting politically involved in food issues will entail mobilizing the communities to challenge the hegemony and lead a transformation. Therefore, I can politically be involved in food issues by advocating for the right to nutritious and delicious food for the communities. The advocacy can be conducted through the various forums that challenge the food disparities in the society. For example, creation of a movement that will challenge the advocacy of the open and liberal markets that for many years has been controlling the national and global systems of food.